


Photographs

by DracoArcus



Series: I Guess We Like Lars Now [1]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, But it ends happy, F/M, Implied Lars Barriga/Sadie Miller, Post-Episode: s05e11 Lars of the Stars, but it's het so who's trying to do that, idk how to tag, that just means this COULD be interpreted as friendship if you really tried
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-17 17:11:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16100093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DracoArcus/pseuds/DracoArcus
Summary: Steven gives Lars a gift that sparks some angst and introspection.





	Photographs

“After I showed you the ones on my phone, I thought you might like one you can keep, so I had these printed for you!”

Steven excitedly thrusts the photographs at Lars and he takes them gingerly, he knows what’s on them before he even looks.

There are three photographs in total. The first is a big group selfie, Sadie grins enthusiastically right in the middle of the frame, surrounded by the cool kids and Steven. The second is just of Sadie, but she doesn’t look like Sadie. She’s wearing fake fangs and dramatic black eyeshadow, and she’s singing to a crowd of excited people. The third one he doesn’t recognize, but when he looks at it he feels his expression soften. The photograph is another of just Sadie, but she looks more like he remembers. She’s sitting on the edge of her bed, no makeup, laughing like someone just said something very funny. He doesn’t realize he’s staring until Steven speaks up.

“Sour Cream took that one.”

Lars’ head snaps up as Steven starts giggling.

“He came up with this hilarious joke, it was like- okay okay, what do you call a whale that looks like it-“

Lars looks back at the photograph, but now there’s a sour taste in his mouth, and it seems as though Steven can tell. He trails off awkwardly.

“I know you got kinda upset last time you saw these,” Steven says tentatively after a moment. “I just thought- it seemed like you got it! How you and Sadie are best friends and everything!”

Lars takes in Steven’s hopeful expression and paints what he hopes is a convincing smile on his face, putting the photographs carefully into his pocket.

“Thanks Steven. I, uh, appreciate these.”

Steven still looks slightly concerned, but doesn’t push. They say their goodbyes, and as Steven disappears back into his hair, Padparadscha speaks up.

“The photographs are going to make captain Lars… sad?”

Rhodonite and the Rutile twins look at each other with concern.

Lars slumps in the captains chair for a moment, then suddenly gets up with a mumbled, “I’m going to go see how Fluorite and the engines are doing.” and heads down the stairs to the lower deck of the ship.

“Heeelllooo caaaaptaaaiinnn Laaarrsss.” Fluorite greets as he enters the lower deck.

“Hey Fluorite.” Lars plops down against a pillar with his back to her and pulls out the photographs again.

“Issssss eveeeerrrrrryyyyyythiiiiinnngggg allllllrrrriiiiggghhhttt?” Fluorite asks as she comes to stand in front of him.

Lars is silent for a moment, flipping through the photographs. He keeps coming back to the one of Sadie laughing. At a joke _Sour Cream_ of all people made apparently.

“Fluorite, am I a bad person?” He suddenly asks.

“Whhyyyyy woouuuulllldddd yyyoooouuuu thiiiiinnk thaaaatttt?”

“Never mind.” Lars mumbles. He pulls his knees up to his chest. He’s still staring at that stupid photograph.

“I thiiiiinnk yooouuuu aaaaarrreeee aaaa vveeeeerrrryyyyy gooooooooddd peeeerrsssoooonnnn Laaaarrrssss.”

Lars laughs bitterly. “Yeah, maybe _you_ think so.”

Fluorite slowly tilts her head to the side questioningly, and suddenly everything comes spilling out.

“It’s just… I was such a jerk! To everyone! But especially Sadie, and I never even apologized, I just kept doing it! I knew I was making her mad but I just… Ugh! I don’t know why she ever put up with me.”

He pause, looking back at the group selfie with Sadie and the cool kids. “Maybe she finally realized how much better she can do then _me_.”

Fluorite looks contemplative for a moment. “Ifffffff yoooouuuu reeeeaaaallllllyyyyy weeeeerrreeee aaaaaaa jeeeeerrrrrkkkk sheeeeeee muuusssttttt haaaaavvvveeeee rrreeeaaaallllyyyy caaaarreeedd aaabbooouuutt yyooouuuu tooo stiiiiickk aaaarrrooouuuunnnndddd.”

Lars feels tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. “She did. She really did care about me, and I blew it! And now she’s hanging out with cool kids and I’ll never have another chance with her! I was such an idiot! I wish I could just... start over.

He slumps against the pillar again and drops his head into his hands, trying to stop crying.

“Yoooouuuuu knoooowwww,” Fluorite begins gently, “Ussssss ooofffff cooollooorrsssss aaaarreeee gooooiiinngg tttooooo eeeaaaaaarrrttthhhhhh ffoooooorrrr aaaa freeeeeesssshhhhh staaaaaaarrrrrtttt. Maaaayyyyybbbeeeee wheeeennnn yoooouuuu geeeeeettt baaaacckkkkk toooooo eeeaaaarrrthhhhh yooooouuuu caaaaaaaannnnn maaaaakkeeeee thiiiiiinnnnggsssssss diiiiiiiffffeerrrrreeeeennnnttttt. Beeeeettttteeeerrrrrrrr.”

Lars looks up a Fluorite, eyes red from crying. “You really think I… could be better?” He asks softly.

“Theeeee Laaaarrrsssss I knooooowwwww issssss aaaaa goooooddddd peeeerrrssoooonnn. Ifffff yoooouuuu caaaannnnn beeeeee beeettteeeerrrr ooooouuuttttt heeeerrreeeee, theeeeeennn yyoooouuuu caaaaannn beeeeeeee beeeettteeerrrr oooooonnnn eeeeaaaaarrrrrttthhhhhhhh.

Lars looks down at the photograph, Sadie laughing at Sour Cream’s joke. If there was even a tiny chance that he could make her look that happy then well, he had to try. He looks up at Fluorite, grinning.

Then suddenly he jumps up and bounds up the stairs, Fluorite following close behind.

“Captain Lars is going to have a wonderful revelation!” Padparadscha exclaims as he bursts into the control room, startling Rhodonite.

“Captain Lars! Is… everything alright?”

Lars wipes the tear tracks from his cheeks absently, and speaks with a determination he doesn’t think he’s ever felt in his life. “What’s our ETA on earth?”

“Probably not for another forty star days or so?”

“What about with the nova thruster modifications I was working on?”

Rhodonite looks taken aback. “Well, theoretically that could shave thirty, thirty-five days off our trip, but if it doesn’t work, the damage could be-!”

“Fluorite, do the engines looks like they can handle it?”

Fluorite smiles. “I thiiiiiiiinnnnnnkkkk ssoooooooooo.”

Lars grins back, then whirls around and points onward. “Rhodonite, power up the MEGA thrusters!”

“Yes captain Lars, if you’re sure!” Rhodonite exclaims with a mix of nervousness and excitement.

“Rutiles, charge the shields to max, this could be a bumpy ride!”

Lars sat down in the captains chair as the ship began to speed up, the view of stars outside the windows becoming a blur.

“I’ll be back soon Sadie.” Lars muttered to himself. “And this time, I’m going to be _better._ ”

 

**Author's Note:**

> OKAY LOOK I never write het ships like EVER but I HAD to do this okay. Lars is so cool now and I'm starting to like him but I CAN'T LET MYSELF LIKE HIM UNTIL HE APOLOGIZES TO SADIE. (and everyone else but mostly Sadie) I wrote this for my own sanity because I NEED Lars to have the "I've been such a jerk" realization and just in case it doesn't happen in canon here it is. I hope I'm not the only one who feels this way lmao.


End file.
